Hanako Maeda’s SS2024 collection for ADEAM had plenty of ballet references – ballerinas and ballet-style fashion (balletcore according to TikTok) have appeared on the catwalk many times, from the literal ballerinas at Viktor & Rolf Haute SS2014 Couture and Undercover SS2015 to the (slightly) more subtle references at Barbara í Gongini AW2016 and Lanvin AW2022.
The ADEAM ballerinas eschewed dainty footwear in favour of more utilitarian, stompy flatform sandals that contrasted starkly with the soft clothing.
The collection featured neutrals of black, white, peach, and pale yellows and greens. Leggings ended in criss-cross bandages made to look like ballet shoe straps. They were paired with a variety of items – dresses, a corset, then a green pair with a bodycon top for an overall more athleisure look.
Sheer pleated panels were attached to blazers, and layered onto skirts and dresses.
Other blazers were corsetted and made of a lace-like fabric with concealed hook-and-eye closures; other more cropped blazers also had signs of boning, but no visible closures at all.
Pleated fabric was used for more rigid-looking double-layer mini skirts worn over criss-cross leggings; for a more flowing look, a pleated satin fabric was used.
My favourite looks were the black dress with a train of pleated sheer fabric, and the yellow dress with a ruff. The show closed with a performance by Tiler Peck of the New York City Ballet.
All runway images are from Vogue Runway.